This document provides an overview of matter, energy, systems, and ecosystems. It begins by defining the building blocks of matter, including quarks, atoms, elements, compounds, and molecules. It then discusses physical and chemical properties and changes in matter, and how energy is involved in changes in states of matter. It introduces systems thinking, including positive and negative feedback loops. Finally, it defines ecosystems as groups of interacting living and non-living things, and explains how energy flows through ecosystems according to the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

1. IV. Matter,
Energy, Systems
JORIEL J. CRUZ
GSE 415 EARTH/ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

2. Welcome!
Topics
-Building blocks of matter
- Forms of Energy (results of energy
changes)
-Systems and their responses to change
- Ecosystems
- Nutrient Cycling
GSE 415 EARTH/ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

3. Objectives
Describe the building
blocks of matter and
the changes they
undergo
1
Explain the 1st and
2nd Law of
Thermodynamics
2
Identify the positive
feedback loops and the
negative feedback loops as
system response to
changes and consequences
that may occur.
3
State the major
components of an
Ecosystem, the
factors sustaining life
4
Knowledge

4. Establish connection
between matter and
energy
1
Describe the
interrelationship
among the
components of an
ecosystem
2
Objectives
SKILLS

5. Appreciate the
importance of solar
energy as the
ultimate source of
energy of the planet
1
Realize how energy is
transferred within the
biological system
1
Discuss ways that
would stabilize the
ecosystem to attain
balance
1
Objectives
ATTITUDE

6. Building blocks
of matter

7. What are the
building blocks
of matter?
What are the most fundamental building blocks of all
matter -- the pieces of matter that make up everything
from flowers to people to galaxies and cannot be
broken down into anything smaller?

8. Model of a Helium Atom
Scientists once thought the most fundamental building block
of matter was a particle called the atom. Now we know that
the atom is made of many smaller pieces, known as
subatomic particles.
Every atom contains a central core called the nucleus, made
of particles called protons and neutrons. The nucleus is
surrounded by mostly empty space, except for very tiny
particles called electrons that orbit the nucleus. Recently,
scientists have discovered that protons and neutrons are
made of smaller particles known as quarks.
BUILDING BLOCKS OF MATTER

9. Building
blocks of
matter
Quarks - the smallest particles in the universe,
and they carry only fractional electric charges.
Atom – a particle of matter that uniquely
defines a chemical element.
Element - a pure substance made of only one
kind of atom.
Compound - a substance made from the
atoms of two or more elements that are
chemically bonded.
Molecule – two or more atoms connected by
chemical bonds, which form the smallest unit
of a substance that retains the composition
and properties of that substance.

10. •Intensive properties
– do not depend on the amount of
matter present. For example
melting point, boiling point, density
and the ability to conduct heat and
electricity.
Extensive properties
– depend on the amount of matter
that is present. For example, mass,
volume and the amount of energy
in a substance.
1 2
Properties and
Changes in Matter

11. Physical changes
-is a change in a substance that
does not involve a change in
identity of that substance.
is a characteristic that can be observed or measured
without changing the identity of the substance.
Physical property

12. is a change in which one or more
substances are converted into a
different substance. Examples
are burning and rusting.
Chemical changes
relates to a substance’s ability to undergo changes that
transform it into different substances.
Chemical properties

13. Energy and Changes in Matter
•When physical and chemical changes occur, energy is almost
always involved.
•The energy can take several different forms such as heat or
light.
•When ice absorbs heat energy it melts – a physical change.
•When paper burns it becomes carbon dioxide and water – a
chemical change.
•Energy can be absorbed or released in a reaction, but it is
never lost or gained. This is the Law of Conservation of Energy.

14. STATES of matter?
What would it take for matter to move from one state to another?

15. Energy determines the state!

16. Add or Subtract Energy
When energy is taken away, particles
move slower!
When energy is added, particles
move faster!

17. MIXTURE CONTAINS
- A mixture is a
material composed of
two or more simpler
substances. It can
vary in composition
and properties from
sample to sample.
PURE SUBSTANCE
-is an element or
compound. It is a single
kind of matter that
cannot be separated into
other kinds of matter by
any physical means. A
pure substance always
has a definite and
constant composition.
1 2
Classification of Matter

19. The Solar Energy as the
Ultimate Source of Energy
Plants convert light energy from the sun
into chemical energy (food) by the process of
photosynthesis. Animals eat plants and use that same
chemical energy for all their activities.
Solar energy is created by nuclear fusion that
takes place in the sun. It is necessary for life on
Earth, and can be harvested for human uses such as
electricity.

20. The Solar Energy as the
Ultimate Source of Energy
•Heat energy from the sun
causes changing weather
patterns that produce wind.
Wind turbines then convert
wind power into electrical
energy.

21. The Solar Energy as the
Ultimate Source of Energy
•Hydroelectricity is electrical
energy produced from moving
water, and water flows
because heat energy from the
sun causes evaporation that
keeps water moving through
the water cycle.

22. The Solar Energy as the
Ultimate Source of Energy
Human activity uses energy from
fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and
natural gas. These energy sources
are created over very long periods
of time from decayed and
fossilized living matter (animals
and plants), and the energy in that
living matter originally came from
the sun through photosynthesis

23. Laws of
Thermodynamics
the branch of physics that deals with
the relationships between heat and
other forms of energy. In particular, it
describes how thermal energy is
converted to and from other forms of
energy and how thermal energy affects
matter.

24. ENERGY and MATTER FLOWS through an ECOSYSTEM

25. The energy in all
ecosystems is subject to
the FIRST and SECOND
LAWS of
THERMODYNAMICS

26. 1st LAW
“CONSERVATION OF ENERGY”
ENERGY IS NEITHER CREATED NOR
DESTROYED
Energy can be converted
from one form into
another, but not
consumed.
Ecosystems are
characterized by
constant flows and
transformations of
energy:

27. An example would be a simple food chain.

28. Where does the sun’s energy (that reaches Earth’s surface)
go?

29. 2nd LAW – “The ENTROPY OF AN ISOLATED SYSTEM NOT IN
EQUILIBRIUM WILL INCREASE OVER TIME”.
What is ENTROPY?
“the spreading out or dispersal of energy”
In other words, energy conversions are never 100%
EFFICIENT.
Some energy is transferred into WORK or WASTE
HEAT.
ENERGY = WORK + HEAT (and other waste energy)

31. Each level is known as a TROPHIC
LAYER.
Because of ENTROPY, the amount of
energy passed to the next TROPHIC
LAYER decreases.

32. Calculating Efficiency
Plants convert around 1-2% of the solar energy
they receive into glucose (photosynthesis).
Herbivores assimilate (turn into animal matter)
around 10% of plant energy they consume.
A carnivore’s efficiency is also around 10%.
% Efficiency = work or energy produced x 100
energy consumed

33. Energy Loss in a Food Chain

34. -Systems and their
responses to change
Systems are made up of parts and
the interactions between them.

35. They are composed of:
Storages of matter/energy:
tree biomass in trunk &
leaves.
Flows: inputs & outputs:
light, oxygen and heat.
Processes which transfer or
transform the energy/matter):
photosynthesis.
Feedback loops: affecting the
stability of the system.
To be stable, all systems need
to be self-regulating.

36. Feedback loops
-permit systems to adjust their response to change
(forcing factors) to return to stable conditions.
Systems diagrams contain boxes that show circles
and arrows which indicate flows.

37. A feedback is similar to a cause and
effect loop, where information about a
system is sent back to the system to
improve its performance. An example is
your body's ability to control
temperature. The condition of the body's
temperature is the information fed back
to the brain, which is the controller. If
the temperature is high, the body
sweats in order to cool down. Since the
process of sweating is done to stop the
temperature change, this is a negative
feedback.

38. Feedback loops come in two flavors: positive and negative.
A negative feedback
loop reduces the effect of change and helps maintain balance.
A positive feedback
loop increases the effect of the change and produces instability.
In this case, the positive and negative naming of the loops do not indicate
whether the feedback is good or bad. In climate change, a feedback loop is
something that speeds up or slows down a warming trend. A positive
feedback accelerates a temperature rise,
whereas a negative feedback slows it down.

39. Ocean warming provides a
good example of a potential
positive feedback
mechanism.
The oceans are an important
sink for CO2 through
absorption of the gas into
the water surface. As CO2
increases, it increases the
warming potential of the
atmosphere. If air
temperatures warm, it
should warm the oceans. The
ability of the ocean to remove CO2 from the atmosphere
decreases with increasing temperature. Because of this, increasing
CO2 in the atmosphere could have effects that actually intensify
the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere.

40. A good example of a negative
feedback mechanism will be if the
increase in temperature increases
the amount of cloud cover. The
increased cloud thickness or
amount could reduce incoming
solar radiation and limit warming.
At the same time, it is not clear, that
if additional cloud cover happens, at
what latitudes and at what times it
might occur. Also, it is not clear
what types of clouds might be
created. Thick low clouds would
have a stronger ability to block
sunlight than extensive high (cirrus)
type clouds.

43. -ECOSYSTEM
An ecosystem is a group of living
and non-living things that interact
with each other.

44. All of the living things, in an ecosystem are called biotic
factors.
Examples: plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, etc…

45. All of the nonliving things are called abiotic factors.

46. Scientists examine levels of the ecosystem to help them understand
it as a whole. The basic levels of organization are
A living thing.
All of the
organisms of the
same type
(species) that live
in an area at the
same time.
All of the
organisms that
live together in an
area.
All of the
organisms living
in the same area
and their nonliving
environment.

47. What makes life possible on earth?
There are many different factors
that make life possible here on
earth, such as temperature,
water, sunlight, atmosphere, the
moon and many others. Each of
these has a specific job in making
life possible. Whether its keeping
oxygen in the air or keeping the
earth at a safe temperature.
Without even one of these factors
life on earth wouldn't be possible
as each of these factors are
necessary to life. These are all
the different factors that make life
on earth possible.

48. Plants Plants are very important to our lives
and are one of the many reasons we
can live on this earth. Plants use
photosynthesis which uses carbon
dioxide, water, and sunlight to make
glucose and oxygen. We as humans
need oxygen to survive which is one
of the many reasons plants are so
important, as they are our number one
source of oxygen. Plants such as
trees can also be a source of food
which then gives us energy. These are
just a few reasons why plants are
necessary to life on earth.

49. Water
Water is one of the fundamental elements
of supporting life. Without water there
would be no life on earth. Humans need
water to survive as we need to drink it
and as it makes up a large portion of our
bodies. Water is also one of the key
elements of photosynthesis which
provides us with oxygen. Water isn't just
needed by humans but by all life and it
makes up almost seventy percent of our
earth. Water has a very large part in our
every day lives and is possibly the most
important factor to life on earth.

50. The sun is the perfect distance from earth
giving us enough heat without being to
close or to far. If the sun was to close we
would burn but to far and we would
freeze. This means we are in the perfect
spot, continuously orbiting the sun while
at the right distance. The suns rays give
us all energy and are needed to grow.
Organisms like plants need the sun to go
through photosynthesis and humans get
energy and useful vitamins from the suns
rays.
The sun

51. The atmosphere is a mix of many gases
that surrounds earth and it has a very
crucial job. The atmosphere protects us
from the suns rays. While the suns rays
are helpful they can also harm us through
dangerous radiation. The atmosphere
protects us from these rays while keeping
the light and heat from these rays inside.
Lastly the atmosphere has traces of
carbon dioxide that keep the heat from
the suns rays inside the earth in a
greenhouse type effect but not quite so
hot.
The
atmosphere

52. NUTRIENT CYCLES:
ECOSYSTEM TO ECOSPHERE
Nutrient cycling occurs at the local
level through the action of the
biota.
Nutrient cycling occurs at the global
level through geological processes,
such as, atmospheric circulation,
erosion and weathering.

53. Nutrients are any chemicals that
are needed for the proper
functioning of organisms. We can
distinguish two basic types of
nutrients:
(1) inorganic chemicals that
autotrophic organisms require
for photosynthesis and
metabolism, and
(2) organic compounds ingested as
food by heterotrophic organisms.

54. The atoms of earth
and life are the
same; they just
find themselves in
different places at
different times.
Most of the calcium in
your bones came from
cows, who got it from
corn, which took it from
rocks that were once
formed in the sea.
The path atoms take from the
living (biotic) to the non-living
(abiotic) world and back again
is called a biogeochemical
cycle.

55. Nutrients are chemical
elements all plants and
animals require for
growth. On earth exists
a constant and natural
cycle in which these
elements are
incorporated during
organism growth and
degraded when
organisms dies.